University of Southern Maine

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USM African American Collection of Maine Exhibit to Open February 1; Reception on February 3

January 19, 2006

Black Bangor: African Americans in a Maine Community" is the latest exhibit curated by Maureen Elgersman Lee faculty scholar for African American Collection of Maine at the University of Southern Maine. The exhibit will be open during regular library hours from Wednesday, February 1, through Sunday, April 30, in the Special Collections area on the 6th floor of USM's Glickman Family Library, Forest Ave., Portland. 

An opening reception for the exhibition and a celebration of Lee's recently published book, "Black Bangor: African Americans in a Maine Community, 1880-1950," will take place on Friday, February 3. The reception will feature an exhibition preview from 4-5 p.m. on the 6th floor of the library, followed by a book signing and reception from 5-7 p.m. on the 7th floor. The reception and exhibition are free and open to the public. (Snow date for the reception is Friday, February 10. In case of inclement weather, please call 207-780-4800 for information.)

"Black Bangor: African Americans in a Maine Community," the African American Collection of Maine's 2006 exhibition, celebrates the rich history of blacks in Maine's second largest city. The exhibit focuses on the small, but cohesive, community of blacks in Bangor, some of whom migrated from eastern states, Maritime Canada, and the Caribbean. It examines the work they did, their churches and education, and their daily lives including the social clubs and civic organizations to which they belonged. Lee's book, which inspired this exhibit, is the first, in depth community-based study of blacks in Maine, and has received favorable reviews. For more information on the book, visit University Press of New England at http://www.upne.com/1-58465-498-8.html.

Plans are underway to move the exhibition to the Bangor Museum and Center for History in early summer 2006. 

To arrange an interview with Lee, please contact Judie Alessi O'Malley, USM Public Affairs at 207-780-4200.

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